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Message: <blockquote data-quote="gideonpepys" data-source="post: 6255149" data-attributes="member: 79141">Session 100fAfter the fight with Ekossigan and the Kill Squad, Alexander Grappa had pointed out, haltingly, that he might be recognised by some in the Ob facility.  So they took a cloak from one of the assassins and draped it over him.  Then they took one each for themselves and approached the outer gate.  They had learned that this was broken - the mechanism fused by the gremlins - but it was now closed, so they couldn't be sure.   Cloaked against immediate recognition they knocked on the door.  A hatch slid open and Korrigan said 'yawning'.  The gate ground open and the strike force leapt inside, overwhelming the gate guards and causing them to surrender.A dark creeper ran for a rail-car and began to hurtle down a long tunnel to the main entrance.  Matunaaga caught it easily and brought it to a halt, dragging the creature back to the gate by the scruff of its neck.There were six guards altogether and an engineer working on the broken gate.  Korrigan noticed that the guards wore uniforms that were very similar to Risuri military uniforms, with subtle references to Risuri insignia.  Under close questioning, the guards turned out to be confused as to  why the RHC were attacking them, and loudly wondered if there must be some political wrangling between the 'high ups'.  They all thought that  they were working for Risur on a secret military project.  They were unable to say what the military project was, however.  While none of the normal guards were subject to the Obscurati geas, none of them had been given access to the deeper parts of the complex where the work took place.  They were resentful of the aloof and black-clad Obscurati who came and went as they pleased and referred to themselves as 'Slayers'.  The guards were asked who recruited them for this 'special assignment' and they named one Col. Greg Masterson (whom Matunaaga was vaguely familiar with from his work at the Battalion). The engineer was a middle-aged Risuri named Tyrol Branche.  He almost collapsed with relief at the thought that they might soon be free of the Bleak Gate:  Their work was supposed to have been done months ago.   Rumour had it that one of the high-ups had absconded with the plans. (Everyone looked at Grappa.) Branche couldn't say what the project was, only that it was 'something very big'.  Teams worked on small sections with no overall schematic.  Almost a year ago they had been told they were done at that they would soon be released.  But nothing happened.  Now they were confined to their barracks with nothing to do and no explanation as to why.  Everything had stalled and morale was very low.The guards were then asked about the defences - the shrapnel cannon in particular.  It transpired thatr= what Asrabey had thought was an advanced weapon of some kind was in fact Leon Quital, the Steelshaper, who would attack intruders with a hail of shrapnel if he became aware of a threat at the main gate. Though they felt slightly sorry for these men, they nevertheless bound them securely before setting off along the tunnel.  Matunaaga ranged ahead in time to see a troop of soldiers leave the main gate by a different tunnel, but not in time to take advantage of the open gate.  The gate closed before the rest of the strike force caught up with him. Using a messenger wind,  Korrigan warned Unit B that reinforcements were on their way, and then learned from Uru that he was now in place near the gateway, and that there was no sign of Quital. News from the canal squad wasn't good. Korrigan told them to hold on for as long as they could and to pull back when totally overwhelmed.  Judging by Professor Marcione's panicked tones, that wouldn't be long, so the strike force needed to move fast.</blockquote>

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